Volleyball back home this week, Dig Pink on Thursday
October 16, 2012
Jamie Foland
474-6807
The Alaska volleyball team returns home this week for a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference matches at the Patty Center as it plays host to Western Oregon on Thursday and Saint Martin's on Saturday.
The Nanooks (3-12, 1-8 GNAC) first take on the Wolves (12-5, 5-3 GNAC) Thursday at 7 p.m., followed by a noon matinee on Saturday against the Saints (4-9, 2-6 GNAC). On Thursday, it will be the annual Dig Pink match to raise awareness about breast cancer and as well as funds for the Side-Out Foundation.
Earlier this year, the 'Nooks fell 3-1 at Saint Martin's (Sept. 20) and 3-0 at Western Oregon (Sept. 22), which was receiving votes in the AVCA national rankings at the time.
Last week, Alaska dropped both matches on the road with a 3-0 loss at Montana State-Billings and a 3-1 defeat at Seattle Pacific.
Freshman outside hitter Sam Harthun produced a team-best 28 kills to go with 11 digs and three block assists while junior outside hitter Keri Knight contributed 19 kills and a pair of service aces. Other key players included freshman setter Katlyn Mataya (67 assists, 14 digs) and senior libero Allison Oddy (38 digs, 2 aces).
In the GNAC rankings, Mataya places fifth with 9.70 assists per set, Harthun is eighth with 3.09 kills per set and Oddy is also eighth with 4.29 digs per set. Nationally, Mataya ranks 62nd in assists, Oddy is 102nd in digs while Harthun returned to the top 150 in kills in 145th.
Match #16: Western Oregon at Alaska – Thursday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. (AKDT)
Important Links: LIVE STATS LIVE VIDEO
The Wolves went 1-1 on the road last week, with a straight-set loss at then No. 22 Central Washington and a 3-1 victory at Northwest Nazarene. WOU was led by Danielle Reese with 22 kills, a .273 hitting percentage and five total blocks (one solo). Other key contributors included Krissi Kemper (18 kills, .471 hitting, 7 block assists) and Becky Blees (12 kills, .480 hitting, 2 aces, 9 block assists).
Kemper leads the GNAC and ranks second in the country with a .436 hitting percentage and is seventh in blocks (0.96 bps) while Blees is tops in blocks (1.33 bps) and third in hitting (.350). Reese ranks second in service aces (0.41 / set) fourth in kills (3.51 kps) and Hannah Deede is tied for third in blocks (1.00 bps) while Megan Triggs is seventh in digs (4.29 dps). Other national ranks include Blees in blocks (11th) and hitting percentage (41st), Reese in kills (61st) and points (40th) and Deede in blocks (73rd).
Match #17: Saint Martin's at Alaska – Saturday, Oct. 20 at 12 p.m. (AKDT)
Important Links: LIVE STATS LIVE VIDEO
The Saints fell in straight sets against both Northwest Nazarene and then No. 22 Central Washington. SMU was led by Kristyn Ross, who had a team-best 17 kills as well as 15 digs and three service aces. Other contributors were Carrie Starbuck (9 kills, 15 digs), Katy Ferguson (8 kills, 5 total blocks) and Teilissa Tua (11 blocks – 3 solo)
Ross is third in the GNAC in service aces (0.40 / set) and 10th in digs (3.71 dps) while Tua and Ferguson are sixth (0.98 bps) and ninth (0.89 bps) in blocks, respectively. Halee Hernandez is also 10th in assists (4.36 aps). Tua also ranks in the top 100 in the blocks department in 86th.